Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara has referred 41 officials from Kabale District and Kabale Municipality to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit over alleged corruption, nepotism, abuse of office and mismanagement of public funds. The names came out at a Friday rally at Kabale Municipal Stadium, on the second day of the Kigezi campaign.
An official from the unit read out the names before a crowd that numbered in the thousands. The list has 36 officials from the district government and five from the municipality, covering serving and former staff.
Who Is Named Among the 41
The district names include former Chief Administrative Officer John Asiimwe, Chief Finance Officer Amon Akampumuza, District Education Officer Moses Tumwijukye Bwengye and Senior ICT Officer Tobias Habaasa. Also named are the procurement officer, the district engineer, the district accountant, the internal auditor and several inspectors of schools. Rubaya Sub-county Chief Ivan Mugayehwenki is on the list too.
The list also names Senior Assistant Mechanical Engineer Jude Tusiime, Senior Assistant Secretary and Clerk to Council Loyce Asiimwe, Conservation Officer Grace Aheise and District Accountant Adison Fat Biryomumeisho. Phionah Orishaba, a former teacher at Buranga Primary School, and Inspector Drake Kisheija are included as well.
Others are Parish Chief and Works Department office attendant Gergina Karungi, Assistant Secretary Edith Tukamushaba, and Enos Akandinda, Senior Assistant Secretary at Katuna Town Council. Acting Senior Accountant Collins Ainembabazi and Internal Auditor Denis Maviri complete that group.
The remaining district officials are Staff Surveyor Prosper Ahimbisibwe, Environmental Officer Allan Akampurira, District Production Officer Beda Mwebesa, Principal Agricultural Officer Deus Baguma, District Agricultural Engineer Paulino Ndyabanoha and Senior Engineer Levi Turyahikayo.
From the municipality, the five are former Town Clerk Jamail Kasajja, who has since moved to Kasese, Deputy Town Clerk Sunday Eric, Assistant Town Clerk Hilder Kashemeire, Assistant Town Engineering Officer Vincent Ahimbisibwe and Senior Internal Auditor Mwesigwa Kabweno. A numbered roster gives every name with its post.
Outlets Split Over Referral or Interdiction
The accounts differ on what the list does. Chimpreports and The Source describe a referral to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit for investigation. Kigezi Guardian says the officials were listed for interdiction on the minister’s orders, and adds that appearing on the list does not, in itself, establish individual wrongdoing
.
It says the specific allegations, the formal interdiction decisions and any later disciplinary steps still need confirmation from the relevant authorities.
Only one source, a published list of the 41 officials, gives a title for Wilberforce Nabaasa, calling him a Principal Inspector of Schools.
Barugahara Threatens Salaries of Officials Who Ignore Summons
Barugahara claimed some of the named officials had been on the run for several weeks and had ignored his summons to appear in person. He told District LC5 Chairperson Denis Ndyomugyenyi Nzeirwe and CAO Robert Mugabe to ensure all of them appear before the unit and record statements. Leaders must suspend the salaries of anyone who does not, until they comply.
He also accused District Senior Forestry Officer Benjamin Ariyo of arresting residents and destroying their property. According to Chimpreports, the minister gave no further details at the meeting.
IGG Already Probing Ghost Workers in Kabale
Before the rally, Nile Post reported on October 21 that the minister’s visit came as the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) was examining ghost workers on the Kabale payroll. In a letter dated October 12, 2026, Mugabe ordered staff to appear physically for verification under the new Human Capital Management system.
The IGG is already investigating the existence of ghost workers on the payroll. A list of 42 ghost pensioners is being investigated.
Robert Mugabe, Kabale District Chief Administrative Officer, via Nile Post
Mugabe said cleaning up the payroll would curb leakages. District officials put staff numbers above 4,000. None of the sources links the 41 named officials to the ghost-worker inquiry, so the two processes should not be conflated.
Leaders and residents in Kigezi welcomed the visit, calling it long overdue. Residents including Can. Jack Katarishagwa and Syson Mwebaze urged the Ministry of Local Government to look into pension payments and infrastructure development. They also sought the ministry’s intervention over how lock-ups at Kabale Central Market were allocated and over compensation for lock-up owners.
What Is Still Unknown About the 41 Names
Chimpreports says the investigations are meant to establish whether the allegations have merit and whether public service, procurement or other rules were breached. The sources do not detail the allegations against individual officials, say whether any has been formally interdicted, or give a date by which statements must be recorded. They also carry no response from the officials named.